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Ahh yes, the incredible summer weather makes for a perfect day to … stay inside and watch a movie! ;) On the blogging front, summer is usually a slower time for me. This is where you come in. I’m on the look out for something new to get into. Is there a movie or television show that you’ve recently enjoyed or can’t stop thinking about? How is True Detective season 2 coming along? Do you have a favorite movie of the summer so far?

Here are some things I’ve been watching lately. Of these, I’d easily recommend the first two movies to just about anyone.

• Inside Out: I skipped over Pixar’s last few movies but with all the positive reviews on Inside Out I wanted to check it out in the theatres. Glad to say I really enjoyed it! Pixar did a great job of pulling off the concept. My favorite emotion is Joy (Amy Poehler). I started out not caring much for Sadness (Phyllis Smith) but I liked how the script taught us to value her. Which Pixar movies do you think are unskippable?

Orphan Black Season 3 Review (Spoilers)

Season 3 of Orphan Black had this feeling that it could go off the rails at any given moment. In a season that introduced a number of new moving parts in an already complicated story, ultimately the writers landed on what has been the show’s continual source of strength. The theme of a makeshift yet united family and the bonds of sestrahood is Orphan Black’s go-to cornerstone. The sestrahood, of course, being the characters played brilliantly by lead actress Tatiana Maslany. Because the sestras were very well established in its first season, even when their current arcs aren’t as satisfying, they firmly ground the show and it’s hard not to remain invested in the fate of these characters.

It’s been said before that no one is safe on Game Of Thrones. Season 5 finale entitled “Mother’s Mercy” lived up to that adage. In what is arguably one of the most shocking deaths to date, we say farewell to another major character that’s been on the show from the very beginning.

Oracle Of Film has a brand new Question Of The Month: Who is your favorite Game Of Thrones Character? Check out all the choices from many bloggers, some answers are hilarious. Don’t worry if you haven’t caught up with the show, these are spoiler free descriptions. My favorite characters are kind of obvious so I decided to go outside the box with my write up. Click on the above link to find out who I picked.

This is another great topic chosen by Oracle Of Film I thought it would be fun to come up with additional choices. These are characters that I don’t get the chance to talk about that much but are deserving of the spotlight.

Game Of Thrones Season 5 Episode 9: “The Dance Of Dragons” Review (Spoilers)

Going by previous seasons, Game Of Thrones has conditioned viewers to expect the unexpected in its penultimate episode. High expectations can be bit of a double-edged sword. It adds to the intensity knowing a regular character could get killed off and in anticipating a season defining moment. On the other hand, setting the bar high could result in a let down if that game changing event doesn’t land as hoped. The good news is that on its own merits, “The Dance Of Dragons” is a solid episode. It just happens to be in the shadows of “Hardhome”, one of Game Of Thrones’ best episodes to date. A better way to think about these two episodes is that they’re not in competition with one another, rather it’s a great one – two punch to the final stretch of Season 5.

A common sentiment is this season hasn’t had that wow factor. That moment or event were all fans are raving about around the water cooler. Sure, there was a highlight scene with Tyrion and Jorah versus the stonemen in Valyria. While the consequences of that scene is still reverberating on a personal level as Jorah comes to terms with grayscale disease, it’s implications won’t ripple into other storylines.

Then there was Sansa’s wedding night which garnered lots of heated discussion but was divisive of the fan base rather than something everyone could get behind. This all changed in a big way in Hardhome. As good as all the other scenes are, the epic battle against the undead army stole the episode and ramps up this season’s momentum several notches.

Game Of Thrones: Season 5, Episode 7 “The Gift”

Game Of Thrones doesn’t follow the structure of a typical season of television. However, in terms of the narrative arc, “The Gift” is still in the rising action phase as a number of storylines are building their way towards a climax (insert your Samwell Tarly joke here). The most notable series of events is the convergence of Tyrion and Dany’s storylines. We also saw Cersei’s smug grin get wiped off her face and discover things can actually get worse for Sansa. Speaking of Sam the Slayer, giving a shard of dragon glass to Jon appears to be setting up a battle with possibly a White Walker and their undead horde against the wildings in Hardhome.

Game Of Thrones: Season 5, Episode 6 “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”

After last week’s highly focused episode, “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken” returns to a number of the other storylines. Arya in Bravos and Jamie in Dorne have been the two least developed storylines of the season and while both move forward this episode, only one them is hitting the mark. Without Jon’s storyline, arguably the season’s strongest, or a highlight moment like Drogon in Valyria, this episode feels like a bit of a mixed bag. Full spoilers ahead.

Game Of Thrones: Season 5, Episode 5 “Kill The Boy”

Halfway through season 5, certain story lines are more difficult to ascertain their trajectory than others. Jamie Lannister and the Sand Snakes’ story in Dorne could play out in a number of different ways and the Faith Militant is a wild card in King’s Landing. However, for the story lines in “Kill The Boy” there is a clearer picture on where they might land. Stannis is on a collision course with the Boltons, Tyrion and Jorah will eventually make their way to Meereen, and the consequences of Jon and Dany’s respective decisions will likely come to a head by season’s end.

Speaking of Jon and Dany, there are obvious parallels in their progression as leaders in “Kill The Boy”. It gives the episode a sense of cohesion when similar themes are addressed in story lines at opposite ends of the world. The usual set up is advisors telling Jon and Dany what is the right thing to do. So I liked how their respective scenes flipped it around when both Maester Aemon and Missandei basically said to do what you believe is right. Another minor point, is that I liked how Ser Davos’ previous advice has influenced Jon to see that the Night’s Watch are not only defenders of the Wall but are also Protectors of the Realm.

Game Of Thrones: Season 5, Episode 4 “Sons Of The Harpy”

Game Of Thrones is back with an episode even more deadlier than the last. “Sons Of The Harpy” is anchored by two action sequences. The fight scene in Dorne was surprisingly amusing at the same time incredibly deadly. For reasons why we are excited to see more of Dorne, take a look at What You Need To Know About Dorne. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the interesting questions this episode leaves us with. Full spoilers ahead.

Is Ser Barristan Selmy Alive or Dead?

Because Game Of Thrones is filled with so many conniving characters, Barristan Selmy’s nobility and righteousness stands out above them. What he also offers as a trusted advisor is connecting Dany to another side of her family’s history in a way that no one else can. After all the drama from previous weeks, it’s a refreshing lighter moment when Dany smiled while listening to stories about her eldest brother.